ESPN, The Big East, & Blue Bloods

[This Just In]

I was listening to ESPN Radio this morning and Villanova was referred to as a Blue Blood.
Which is a big accomplishment for Villanova and the Big East.

[blueandgray]

Dan Patrick also referred to them as a blue blood.

[hoya8185]

Big change over 2 years ago when they were considered "a little guy".

[hoyasaxa2003]

Mar 26, 2018 10:44:02 GMT -5 hoya8185 said:

Big change over 2 years ago when they were considered "a little guy".

Winning Championships and getting to the Final Four can do that...

[hoya8185]

Mar 26, 2018 11:59:48 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

Mar 26, 2018 10:44:02 GMT -5 hoya8185 said:

Big change over 2 years ago when they were considered "a little guy".

Winning Championships and getting to the Final Four can do that...

Agree
It does also impact positively on the league

[drquigley]

Mar 26, 2018 12:02:07 GMT -5 hoya8185 said:

Mar 26, 2018 11:59:48 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

Winning Championships and getting to the Final Four can do that...

Agree
It does also impact positively on the league

Again, gotta disagree. What Nova has done is what Nova has done. The fact that they have dominated the new BE reflects well on them and not the BE. My goodness, they have won 85% of their BE games! Am I wrong that over the past 5 years they have won 4 BE regular season and conference tournament titles? Sorry folks, when we put 3 teams in the final 4 like we did in 1985 then I'll credit the league. But if Nova keeps this up they will make a mockery of the BE just like Kansas has done with the Big 12 and what Kentucky did for years to the SEC. In my mind one (or two) team domination (like Duke and UNC) makes the entire league look weak.

[michaelgrahmstylie]

Mar 26, 2018 15:49:48 GMT -5 drquigley said:

Mar 26, 2018 12:02:07 GMT -5 hoya8185 said:

Agree
It does also impact positively on the league

Again, gotta disagree. What Nova has done is what Nova has done. The fact that they have dominated the new BE reflects well on them and not the BE. My goodness, they have won 85% of their BE games! Am I wrong that over the past 5 years they have won 4 BE regular season and conference tournament titles? Sorry folks, when we put 3 teams in the final 4 like we did in 1985 then I'll credit the league. But if Nova keeps this up they will make a mockery of the BE just like Kansas has done with the Big 12 and what Kentucky did for years to the SEC. In my mind one (or two) team domination (like Duke and UNC) makes the entire league look weak.

I beg to differ. Yes, they are enjoying incredible success right now, and for the last 4-5 years. Don't want to take anything away from Jay Wright and his players--top-notch! However, I don't see their domination continuing next year. I look to see a few teams in the BE make a jump next year. heck, with our front court, and if we can get one or two more really solid point guards...hello... we'll give them a run for their money any night of the week.

[the_way]

Mar 26, 2018 15:49:48 GMT -5 drquigley said:

Mar 26, 2018 12:02:07 GMT -5 hoya8185 said:

Agree
It does also impact positively on the league

Again, gotta disagree. What Nova has done is what Nova has done. The fact that they have dominated the new BE reflects well on them and not the BE. My goodness, they have won 85% of their BE games! Am I wrong that over the past 5 years they have won 4 BE regular season and conference tournament titles? Sorry folks, when we put 3 teams in the final 4 like we did in 1985 then I'll credit the league. But if Nova keeps this up they will make a mockery of the BE just like Kansas has done with the Big 12 and what Kentucky did for years to the SEC. In my mind one (or two) team domination (like Duke and UNC) makes the entire league look weak.

1985 was a special year. Even after that the Big East was strong.

Kentucky and the SEC I could see, but the SEC is known as a football conference.

However, the Big 12 is a respected basketball league. WVA, Texas Tech, Kansas St. were all in the Sweet Sixteen.

Nova winning the championship really helped our league instead of looking at it like the A10 or AAC.

Remember, Xavier was a #1 seed to this year too.

[blueandgray]

Mar 26, 2018 15:49:48 GMT -5 drquigley said:

Mar 26, 2018 12:02:07 GMT -5 hoya8185 said:

Agree
It does also impact positively on the league

Again, gotta disagree. What Nova has done is what Nova has done. The fact that they have dominated the new BE reflects well on them and not the BE. My goodness, they have won 85% of their BE games! Am I wrong that over the past 5 years they have won 4 BE regular season and conference tournament titles? Sorry folks, when we put 3 teams in the final 4 like we did in 1985 then I'll credit the league. But if Nova keeps this up they will make a mockery of the BE just like Kansas has done with the Big 12 and what Kentucky did for years to the SEC. In my mind one (or two) team domination (like Duke and UNC) makes the entire league look weak.

Really silly argument.
How quickly we forget that the Big East was the only conference in the country with not 1, but 2 #1 seeds in THIS YEAR’s tourney!! Sheesh....what does a conference have to do!?!

[iowa80]

They're very good and consistently very good. But I really have no idea what a "blue blood" is. If I were to even try to define the term, I'd start with 1) a generational program without an extended "dry" period and whose excellence goes beyond the achievements of one coach, and 2) a program that is is clean. So no blue bloods?

[drquigley]

Mar 26, 2018 17:24:24 GMT -5 the_way said:

Mar 26, 2018 15:49:48 GMT -5 drquigley said:

Again, gotta disagree. What Nova has done is what Nova has done. The fact that they have dominated the new BE reflects well on them and not the BE. My goodness, they have won 85% of their BE games! Am I wrong that over the past 5 years they have won 4 BE regular season and conference tournament titles? Sorry folks, when we put 3 teams in the final 4 like we did in 1985 then I'll credit the league. But if Nova keeps this up they will make a mockery of the BE just like Kansas has done with the Big 12 and what Kentucky did for years to the SEC. In my mind one (or two) team domination (like Duke and UNC) makes the entire league look weak.

1985 was a special year. Even after that the Big East was strong.

Kentucky and the SEC I could see, but the SEC is known as a football conference.

However, the Big 12 is a respected basketball league. WVA, Texas Tech, Kansas St. were all in the Sweet Sixteen.

Nova winning the championship really helped our league instead of looking at it like the A10 or AAC.

Remember, Xavier was a #1 seed to this year too.

I'm not saying Nova will always dominate the BE. I'm saying that if they do it reflects on their program and not the BE. And yes we've had a bunch of teams make the tournament over the past 5 years, and Xavier was a 1 seed but when has one of our teams, other than Nova, made it to the elite 8 or the final 4? The Big 12 may be a respected league but I believe Kansas has won the league title for 12 years in a row and other than Kansas when was the last time they had a team in the final 4? So I will pull for our Jesuit brethren from Loyola this weekend and if Nova wins good for them. But in my mind the other BE teams need to step up and show that Nova doesn't own this league.

[the_way]

More like 1)

Historically, Blue Bloods (Basketball) = UNC, Kansas, UCLA , Indiana, Kentucky

Because of Coach K's success, Duke has joined that club.

[the_way]

Mar 26, 2018 20:23:40 GMT -5 drquigley said:

Mar 26, 2018 17:24:24 GMT -5 the_way said:

1985 was a special year. Even after that the Big East was strong.

Kentucky and the SEC I could see, but the SEC is known as a football conference.

However, the Big 12 is a respected basketball league. WVA, Texas Tech, Kansas St. were all in the Sweet Sixteen.

Nova winning the championship really helped our league instead of looking at it like the A10 or AAC.

Remember, Xavier was a #1 seed to this year too.

I'm not saying Nova will always dominate the BE. I'm saying that if they do it reflects on their program and not the BE. And yes we've had a bunch of teams make the tournament over the past 5 years, and Xavier was a 1 seed but when has one of our teams, other than Nova, made it to the elite 8 or the final 4? The Big 12 may be a respected league but I believe Kansas has won the league title for 12 years in a row and other than Kansas when was the last time they had a team in the final 4? So I will pull for our Jesuit brethren from Loyola this weekend and if Nova wins good for them. But in my mind the other BE teams need to step up and show that Nova doesn't own this league.

Yeah, but Duke and UNC were running the show in the ACC and the ACC was usually considered the toughest conference in basketball.

You are acting like this is Gonzaga or Memphis during the Calipari days beating cupcakes within conference.

I mean Xavier showed it this year, at least in the regular season by winning the Big East title.

Nova's success (and Xavier's) helps the conference a lot.

Our conference is relatively new. Give it time.

[FrazierFanatic]

Mar 26, 2018 20:24:33 GMT -5 the_way said:

More like 1)

Historically, Blue Bloods (Basketball) = UNC, Kansas, UCLA , Indiana, Kentucky

Because of Coach K's success, Duke has joined that club.

Indiana is on the verge of slipping out of the club, if it hasn't already.

[the_way]

Mar 26, 2018 21:11:31 GMT -5 FrazierFanatic said:

Mar 26, 2018 20:24:33 GMT -5 the_way said:

More like 1)

Historically, Blue Bloods (Basketball) = UNC, Kansas, UCLA , Indiana, Kentucky

Because of Coach K's success, Duke has joined that club.

Indiana is on the verge of slipping out of the club, if it hasn't already.

They just aren't in the conversation of National title contenders currently. Neither is UCLA though.

Historically speaking, they are both blue bloods.

It is like Alabama football before Saban. Just because they weren't what they were historically right before him, didn't change the fact it was still an elite job.


In another sense, you are right. Unlike Football, the college basketball landscape is changing when it comes to recruits. I mean look at Calipari and Coach K. Getting all those one and done's and having better talent than everyone else doesn't guarantee championships. A guy like Pitino, with all his credentials and accomplishments, had to cheat (allegedly) just stay ahead and get players. Will the historic blue bloods have the patience to "build" a contender with 2-3-4 year players? Maybe some redshirts? Would they allow a losing season (like Nova did with Wright)?

[ewingitrust]

Nova's had a helleva run...but their no blueblood. Hoyas are the "blueblood" in the conference.

[drquigley]

Mar 26, 2018 20:42:45 GMT -5 the_way said:

Mar 26, 2018 20:23:40 GMT -5 drquigley said:

I'm not saying Nova will always dominate the BE. I'm saying that if they do it reflects on their program and not the BE. And yes we've had a bunch of teams make the tournament over the past 5 years, and Xavier was a 1 seed but when has one of our teams, other than Nova, made it to the elite 8 or the final 4? The Big 12 may be a respected league but I believe Kansas has won the league title for 12 years in a row and other than Kansas when was the last time they had a team in the final 4? So I will pull for our Jesuit brethren from Loyola this weekend and if Nova wins good for them. But in my mind the other BE teams need to step up and show that Nova doesn't own this league.

Yeah, but Duke and UNC were running the show in the ACC and the ACC was usually considered the toughest conference in basketball.

You are acting like this is Gonzaga or Memphis during the Calipari days beating cupcakes within conference.

I mean Xavier showed it this year, at least in the regular season by winning the Big East title.

Nova's success (and Xavier's) helps the conference a lot.

Our conference is relatively new. Give it time.

You're right, only time will tell. But I sure hope a year from now we aren't watching Nova march to the final four after dominating the BE again. Sadly (depressingly), if Brunson and Bridges return next year I don't see anyone else stepping up to stop them.

[hoyaboya]

Mar 27, 2018 9:53:17 GMT -5 drquigley said:

Mar 26, 2018 20:42:45 GMT -5 the_way said:

Yeah, but Duke and UNC were running the show in the ACC and the ACC was usually considered the toughest conference in basketball.

You are acting like this is Gonzaga or Memphis during the Calipari days beating cupcakes within conference.

I mean Xavier showed it this year, at least in the regular season by winning the Big East title.

Nova's success (and Xavier's) helps the conference a lot.

Our conference is relatively new. Give it time.

You're right, only time will tell. But I sure hope a year from now we aren't watching Nova march to the final four after dominating the BE again. Sadly (depressingly), if Brunson and Bridges return next year I don't see anyone else stepping up to stop them.

No chance Brunson and Bridges return next year.

[This Just In]

Mar 26, 2018 21:11:31 GMT -5 FrazierFanatic said:

Mar 26, 2018 20:24:33 GMT -5 the_way said:

More like 1)

Historically, Blue Bloods (Basketball) = UNC, Kansas, UCLA , Indiana, Kentucky

Because of Coach K's success, Duke has joined that club.

Indiana is on the verge of slipping out of the club, if it hasn't already.

You are right about this.  I don't think anyone under the age of 45 even consider Indiana a Blue Blood.  They last won a championship in 1987.  Who on this board was even alive then?

[This Just In]

Mar 26, 2018 22:12:08 GMT -5 the_way said:

Mar 26, 2018 21:11:31 GMT -5 FrazierFanatic said:

Indiana is on the verge of slipping out of the club, if it hasn't already.

They just aren't in the conversation of National title contenders currently. Neither is UCLA though.

Historically speaking, they are both blue bloods.

It is like Alabama football before Saban. Just because they weren't what they were historically right before him, didn't change the fact it was still an elite job.


In another sense, you are right. Unlike Football, the college basketball landscape is changing when it comes to recruits. I mean look at Calipari and Coach K. Getting all those one and done's and having better talent than everyone else doesn't guarantee championships. A guy like Pitino, with all his credentials and accomplishments, had to cheat (allegedly) just stay ahead and get players. Will the historic blue bloods have the patience to "build" a contender with 2-3-4 year players? Maybe some redshirts? Would they allow a losing season (like Nova did with Wright)?

I remember in the '90's what a Gene Stallings coached Alabama team did to the Miami Hurricanes in the Sugar Bowl.  Anything before that, I can't vouch for.